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John Hageman

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John Hageman covers North Dakota politics from the Forum News Service bureau in Bismarck. He attended the University of Minnesota in the Twin Cities, where he studied journalism and political science, and he previously worked at the Grand Forks Herald and Bemidji Pioneer.

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BISMARCK — Greg Stemen, the vice chairman of the North Dakota State Board of Higher Education, resigned from his post Thursday, Sept. 27, due to "added work responsibilities and increasing personal obligations." Stemen's four-year term was set to expire at the end of June 2019. A resident of Oakes, he's the vice president of the southeast region of First Community Credit Union. Stemen said on top of more responsibilities at work, he has a daughter in high school with a busy athletic career.

BISMARCK — North Dakota Republican Sen. John Hoeven said Judge Brett Kavanaugh should be confirmed to the Supreme Court Thursday, Sept. 27, as the two other members of the state's congressional delegation offered little reaction to the daylong hearing examining sexual assault allegations against the nominee.

BISMARCK — Amid a multi-fronted fight over international trade in the United States, experts said the effect on North Dakota's overall economy and government revenue may be hard to pinpoint. Farmers and business leaders have expressed worry over President Donald Trump's trade moves, including an escalating trade war with China as well as tariffs on steel and aluminum. On Monday, Trump put in place tariffs on another $200 billion worth of Chinese goods, triggering Chinese retaliatory tariffs on $60 billion of American products, the Washington Post reported.

BISMARCK — North Dakota utility regulators approved rate increases for Montana Dakota Utilities' natural gas service and Otter Tail Power Co. electric service Wednesday, Sept. 26. The Public Service Commission approved a settlement boosting MDU's annual revenue by $2.5 million, or 2.3 percent. The company will be required to refund customers based on higher interim rates that were previously approved. MDU originally asked for a 5.4 percent rate increase last year. A company official said it was needed for increased investment in its distribution facilities.

BISMARCK — A western North Dakota Republican state lawmaker announced his intent to resign Tuesday, Sept. 25. Rep. Bill Oliver, R-New Town, told Republican leadership in a letter he would resign Oct. 30 because "my life situation has changed and I feel I cannot represent my constituents with the zeal necessary." He declined to elaborate when reached by phone. House Minority Leader Corey Mock, D-Grand Forks, shared news of Oliver's resignation on Facebook, where he said Oliver and his new wife have been "enjoying their lives together in Thief River Falls," Minn.

BISMARCK — As the nation turns its gaze toward North Dakota and its pivotal U.S. Senate race, the candidates' campaigns have been inundated with cash from across the country. The race between Democratic Sen. Heidi Heitkamp and Republican Rep. Kevin Cramer has been expected to be the most expensive race in the state's history, given its competitiveness and implications for control of the Senate. Both candidates have leaned on out-of-state sources to fuel their campaigns, a trend that experts say is not out of the norm for such a sparsely populated state.

BISMARCK — A federal appeals court halted part of a lower court's ruling in the long-running battle over North Dakota's voter identification laws Monday, Sept. 24, citing the potential for fraud in the state's elections. In a split decision, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 8th Circuit suspended a federal judge's April ruling mandating that the state accept IDs and supplemental documentation with a current mailing address rather than requiring a residential street address. The suspension, known as a stay, will be in effect while the court case moves forward.

BISMARCK — A North Dakota review panel has selected two companies to operate as medical marijuana dispensaries in Fargo and Bismarck, state regulators said Monday, Sept. 24, and one facility is slated for a major retail corridor in Fargo.

BISMARCK — North Dakota Republican Rep. Kevin Cramer dismissed sexual assault allegations against Supreme Court nominee Judge Brett Kavanaugh as "absurd" Friday, Sept. 21. In a radio interview with Jarrod Thomas of KNOX, Cramer said Christine Blasey Ford's allegations against Kavanaugh are "even more absurd" than those Anita Hill leveled against now-Justice Clarence Thomas during his confirmation process "because these people were teenagers when this supposed alleged incident took place" instead of a supervisor-subordinate relationship.